SUBITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468
*International Space Station Status Report #05-59*
*Noon CDT, Friday, Dec. 2, 2005*
*Expedition 12 Crew*
In the third month of a six-month mission, the International Space
Station Expedition 12 crew worked this week on science experiments,
maintenance and the setup of hardware for future activities.
After a light duty weekend, Commander Bill McArthur and Flight Engineer
Valery Tokarev began the week with science tasks.
McArthur, who serves as the NASA science officer, worked extensively
with the Human Research Facility 2, setting up a refrigerated centrifuge
that will house biological samples for future experiments. He also
conducted experiments with the Binary Colloidal Alloy Test-3 (BCAT-3).
The experiment uses small particles known as colloids to study
fundamental physics, gathering data that may provide insight useful for
a wide range of applications from the development of new pharmaceuticals
to new rocket engines. He also inspected samples for the InSPACE
magnetic materials experiment. The investigation studies the physics of
magnetic particles in a fluid to gain insight into processes used in
many electromechanical applications on Earth.
McArthur also repaired a trace contaminant monitor in the Destiny Lab.
He replaced thermal fuses on the device, which measures amounts of gases
in the cabin air. He will activate and check out the device next week.
During the week, the crew performed a variety of maintenance activities,
labeling fire ports in the Unity Node, conducting an inventory of water
containers and performing preventative maintenance on a ventilation
system in the Russian segment. McArthur took time out to talk to
students at two schools via amateur radio, the Hawthorne Brook Middle
School in Townsend, Mass., and the Ralph McCall School in Airdrie,
Alberta, Canada.
Both crewmembers completed routine medical officer proficiency training.
Tokarev worked with the docked Progress resupply craft, repressurizing
the station atmosphere using Progress 19 oxygen. The Elektron oxygen
generation system in the Zvezda Service Module was intentionally shut
down last week to allow oxygen from the Progress to be used. Tokarev
continued unpacking the craft and reloading it with unneeded gear.
Propellant from the Progress tanks was transferred to station tanks on
the Zarya module.
Station managers are evaluating a proposal from Russian engineers to
delay the undocking of the ISS Progress 19 cargo ship. The undocking is
scheduled for Dec. 20. The proposal would leave the Progress attached to
the station for a longer time, allowing the crew additional time to use
it for trash disposal and to use its oxygen supply. Regardless of
whether the ISS Progress 19 is docked or undocked, launch and docking of
the next Progress craft, ISS Progress 20, remains set for Dec. 21 and
Dec. 23, respectively. The new Progress will bring supplies of food,
water, fuel and air to the station as well as holiday gifts for the crew.
Information on the crew's activities aboard the station, future launch
dates, as well as station sighting opportunities from anywhere on the
Earth, is available on the Internet at:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
The next ISS status report will be issued on Friday, Dec. 9, or earlier
if events warrant.
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